For a long time this campaign it didn’t seem that anything joyous was going to happen this season. However, the appointment of Dean Smith has settled the Villa ship and has got fans dreaming of a return to the Premier League.
Ever since Villa’s relegation in 2016, every Championship season has revolved around crazy moments, some funny but some very serious; here are the ones that stand out this season.
Steve Bruce and the Cabbage
The Steve Bruce had gone stale, and the fans began to turn on the ex-Birmingham City manager quickly. That anger reached its boiling point during a hotly contested and entertaining game at Villa Park against Preston North End. The Villa entered the fixture having just won once in their past nine outings, and this was meant to be the fixture that Villa regained their momentum.
Bruce’s side led 2-0 going into the break. However, a resurgent Preston comeback saw the travelling side enter stoppage time 3-2 ahead. The Villa equalised, before being awarded a penalty minutes later. Unfortunately, Glenn Whelan stepped up and saw his spot-kick saved.
Amongst all the chaos, the moment that grabbed all the headlines was a cabbage being thrown at the manager from the stands. It was a bizarre moment that raised more questions than answers. Bruce was fired less than two days later.
John McGinn Magic
From a moment of madness to a moment of pure magic. Amid a devastating early season defeat against Sheffield Wednesday for Bruce, McGinn delivered a message over how much talent was actually in the team. The fans were aware that the squad was capable of a push for promotion from the beginning of the season, and that’s why there was so much anger pointed at Bruce.
The ball happened to fall to McGinn when he was 25 yards out, and the midfielder unleashed a majestic left-footed thunderbolt into the back of the net via the crossbar. It was a special moment that nobody inside of Villa Park could believe; especially when you consider it being struck by a player that is more likely to end up in the referee’s notebook than on the scoresheet. However, in the end, it was to end in disappointment on that day for the hosts, as Bruce’s future club would leave with the three points after goals from Stephen Flecther and Marco Martias.
Somehow, despite this goal going down as one of the best volleys scored at Villa Park, it was unable to win him the accolade for this clubs official goal of the season award, which was won by Jack Grealish for his moment of skill against Rotherham.
Derby Day Idiocy
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Undoubtedly the lowest day for the sport this season were the antics of one Birmingham City ‘fan’ during the second city derby at St Andrews’ in March. The game wasn’t even ten minutes old before a spectator ran onto the pitch and punched Jack Grealish in the head. Fortunately, the Villa man was unscathed and gained retribution later in the game when he scored the winner.
The spectator was taken straight into police custody after being apprehended by stewards. He later was given a 14-week sentence, while he will also be banned from all stadiums across the country indefinitely.
